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Tennis fans and tennis players are revved up this time of year. Wimbledon has just ended and the US Open is about seven weeks away.

Weekend tennis players tend to make the same kinds of mistakes over and over again. Many tennis matches are won and lost by mental and physical mistakes.

To learn more about the common mistakes and some of the remedies, I interviewed Rick Macci. Macci, who runs a tennis facility in Boca Raton, Florida, is considered one of the best tennis coaches in the country. He has trained many of the best juniors and many of the best professional tennis players.

Rick is known for his collection of inspirational quotes and motivational sayings. Macci, who has been teaching for over thirty years, felt that these were some common problems for adult players. Young people present different types of problems.

1. Many players need to shorten their backswing. A compact swing can reduce mistakes.

2. Many players use the east grip on serve. Macci feels they need to use the continental grip.

3. Players tend not to use their legs enough on their shots. They play mainly with their arms. Macci suggests players bend their knees as if they’re about to sit on a chair and then push down and drive.

4. Players can get too excited on a volley and tend to backswing too big on their volley. Stay calm at net and use a short, compact motion.

5. Weekend warriors shorten their follow-up because they are afraid of
to get the ball. They slow down and stop the racket. Take a full, fluid swing.

6. On the overhead smash, players can get too excited and nervous and can overswing on this shot. Macci encourages players to be mindful of balance, control, and placement when making this shot.

7. Macci thinks players should use the sliced ​​backhand more often. This shot is reliable and accurate and can be a real weapon in matches.

8. To get ready to hit a tennis ball, Macci reminds people to use a split step before the moment their opponent hits the ball.

9. Many players do not throw the ball high enough on their serve. Macci reminds players that the service move is a lot like throwing a javelin. You want to hit the ball up and out. You need a high throw to get it right.

10. Players stand in the same place when receiving a second serve. It climbs three or four steps on the second serve of many players.

11. When playing doubles, forget about alleys. Focus on the center of the court.